White Horse
by othisluv
Summary: AU SPN/OTH Lucas proposed and she said 'someday' What would have happened if she had met Dean in a bar soon after? Their relationship ended, and she moved back home. Similar to season 5 with the addition of Dean and Sam Winchester and the Deyton romance.
1. White Horse

A/N: I do not own One Tree Hill/Supernatural/or White Horse by Taylor Swift.

* * *

"Peyton." He screamed her name, wanting her to turn around so she might just listen to him. He wasn't surprised when he watched her curls continue bouncing with not so much as flinch when he spoke.

"It doesn't matter anymore." She said as she closed the door to her Comet. She was mad as hell at the man who held her heart, but she would never take that out on her car. That was one of the many things about the woman before him that he fell in love with.

He cracked a smile at the care she took in her car, only to watch her eyes narrow in his direction. "I'm sorry, Peyton." He placed a hand on her window only to watch it slide down her car as she drove off.

"You know what, I told you when we started this that it could never be normal." He screamed hoping she heard him, but knowing she hadn't. He kicked the gravel with all his might, and when he saw one of the pebbles graze his bumper he nearly cried. It wasn't just for his car, it was for her. He loved her; that wasn't something that was easy for him. Early on in his adulthood he had learned that a normal relationship wasn't in his grasp. He had taken to one night stands, and quite frankly, he was fine with that.

He sat behind the wheel of his black impala and gripped tightly, counting his breaths. He never imagined feeling this much pain over a woman. He was supposed to be tough; Dean Winchester was not supposed to cry, and definitely not over a woman, not over Peyton Sawyer.

_**Say you're sorry  
That face of an angel  
Comes out just when you need it to  
And I paced back and forth all this time  
Cause I honestly believed in you  
Holding on  
And days drag on  
Stupid girl,  
I should have known, I should have known**_

"_I'm Dean and this must be heaven." He flashed a grin in her direction as he took the bar stool beside her. He could tell she wasn't there looking for love, she wasn't even there to have a good time; she was there to forget. Her hair was put up in a messy bun, she had an old Zeppelin tee-shirt, and jeans; and he thought she was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen._

_She had been hit on her fair share in during her three years in LA, and the pick-up lines were never unique or clever. The guys, much like this she thought, were always overly confident. Sure he was good-looking with his tan skin, cocky smile, and his heavenly eyes, but she could tell he did this a lot by the ease with which he sat down. "Funny." She said while finishing her glass of the clear liquid. "Most men say this must hell because I'm so smokin'." She laughed sarcastically remembering once when Lucas had punched a guy for that very statement._

"_You sure think a lot of yourself there, don't you? I never said this was heaven because of you. I said that because of her." He pointed to the brunette behind her, hoping to make her jealous. Maybe if she thought she had competition, she wouldn't hesitate to make him happy._

"_Whatever." She rose and walked a couple of stools over, but he quickly followed._

"_I was joking. I was referring to myself, there was a mirror behind the liquor." He grinned again, and then glanced at the mirror and winked at himself. "I am smokin' but this definitely isn't hell. They don't have women who look like you in hell. Trust me, I know." He said as he motioned the bartender to bring her another glass of what she was drinking._

"_Look, I'm not really looking for a relationship. So you might want to try with the brunette over there." She motioned to the same woman as before._

"_Who said I am. Baby, you can use me and lose me. I don't promise any white horses or sunsets, just a few big 'oh's and a night you won't forget." Damn, why did he have to be so hot, she thought._

"_Fine, buy me a few more drinks, and we'll work something out." Sure she had never been the kind to have a one night stand, she had always felt that sex meant more than that, but that was before. That was before Lucas ran crawling to Brooke, the night after he proposed to her. Maybe it was time for her to live a more carefree life, and why not do that with a gorgeous willing man.. _

"_Nice shirt, by the way, can't wait to see what's underneath." He winked. That night she showed him a thing or two, surprising even herself with her newfound sexuality._

That was six months ago. Six months of happiness, six months of hot sex, six months of a normal life. But now he had to go back to hunting, he couldn't pretend to be a normal guy for her anymore. Eight months ago, he was in hell, literally, and he made it out. Two weeks ago, he found out how he made it out, and the angel who helped him escaped had a purpose for him. Dean Winchester had a purpose for life, a reason beyond revenge for his mother's death to fight for, but it meant he had to leave the woman who had made his whole life change, and let's just say, she wasn't taking it very well.

_**That I'm not a princess, this ain't a fairy tale  
I'm not the one you sweep off her feet,  
Lead her up the stairwell  
This ain't Hollywood, this is a small town,  
I was a dreamer before you went and let me down  
Now it's too late for you  
And your white horse, to come around**_

Peyton drove around the city, thinking about all of the good time she had with Dean. One in particular was the one where she finally let herself fall completely. He was helping her move in and he dropped a box that held many of her record.

_She let a tear fall as she pulled her very first record out of the box in two pieces. She looked at him angrily as he sat down on the sofa unaware of the pain this caused her. It was her first record, and when music is your life, that means everything. That record was like a soundtrack to every single event that had happened in her life, it had been through them all. _

"_What, it's just a record. It's not your leg or something." He knew that it meant much to her than it would most people, but he was tired from helping her all day, and he wasn't very good at the caring part of the relationship yet. _

"_Yeah, how about I go outside and burn one of your cassettes." She spit at him with venom._

_A worried look flashed across his face. "You wouldn't?" _

_She sighed knowing he was right. "You're right, I wouldn't because I know how much they mean to you." She took the record and walked into the bedroom, slamming the door behind her so that he would get the picture._

_The next morning he snuck out of the apartment, and returned before she woke up. He knocked on the door to the bedroom she had locked herself in the night before. She could see the black and white checker board pattern with big red letters, and before she could read it she knew he had just made up for everything they had fought about the day before. "Elvis Costello." She smiled as a tear formed in her eye._

"_I was a jerk, and I know your copy got broken when I dropped your box yesterday." He said not wanting to show too much emotion. They had only been dating for a month, and he wasn't ready to show her how vulnerable she made him, even though she was already in deeper than she planned to be. _

_The record proved that he understood her, even if he didn't want to show it, and the expression in his hazel eyes told her how much he cared. "Thanks, it's perfect." She placed the record on the night table, before pulling him down on top of her and caressing his lips with her own. _

_**Baby I was naive,  
Got lost in your eyes  
And never really had a chance  
I had so many dreams  
About you and me  
Happy endings  
Now I know  
**_  
He arrived at the apartment to find her listening to her Elvis Costello record. She was staring out the window, and he was sad to see the tears he caused running down her face. "What are doing here? I thought we were over." She never broke her gaze at the city below, knowing that if she looked at him, she wouldn't be able to stay mad. If she lost the anger, the pain would take over.

"Peyton, I know you wanted more from this, but I told you when we started this, it couldn't be forever. I have to go back to work again, it's time." His voice was kind and he wanted her to know that everything they had shared wasn't a lie.

"Well, can't you do it here. What is it?" She asked lowly, closing her eyes as she did.

"I can't tell you, but no I can't do it here." He tried to touch her shoulder, but she leaned forward pressing her head against the glass.

"Don't touch me, you are practically a stranger. I mean, six months, and I don't know what the hell you do." Her voice escalated allowing him to see the pain their romance had caused. "I should have known better than to get involved with someone I barely knew. I thought that would be better than a friend, like I had tried before. But I was wrong. At least I never have to see you again. No white horses, no sunsets. Right?" she scoffed remembering their first night in the bar. "Get your stuff, and just leave, okay?"

Not wanting to hurt her anymore, he did just that, whispering a silent "I love you" as he shut the door behind him. She spent weeks sitting in the same spot after long days at work thinking about him. She just wanted him to walk back through the doors and say it was all a joke, he wouldn't leave her. But people always leave, right?

_**I'm not a princess, this ain't a fairy tale  
I'm not the one you sweep off her feet,  
Lead her up the stairwell  
This ain't Hollywood, this is a small town,  
I was a dreamer before you went and let me down  
Now it's too late for you  
And your white horse, to come around**_

Two more years passed before Peyton Sawyer decided LA wasn't for her. It was time to go back to Tree Hill, time to face the ghosts of her hometown, but more importantly to leave the ghosts of LA and the memories of the man she loved.

She was loading grabbing the last box, looking at the empty apartment she was leaving behind. For the first time since Dean left, she had hope for a better tomorrow. That was until she heard the knock at the door, and she found him on the other side. "Dean" she whispered.

"Peyton, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have left. I love you." He said with more emotion in his voice than he had ever used before. He knew he was crazy, two years had probably found her someone else to love, but he had to try.

"Two years, Dean, I'm sorry. I finally found the strength to move on. I'm going home to Tree Hill." She walked past him and down to her car, hoping she could avoid the heartache he cause her before if she just avoided falling back into his arms.

He followed her to find her shutting the door to her car with a tear falling down her cheek. "I'm sorry Peyton."

"I'm sorry too, Dean, white horses and sunsets weren't a part of our plan, remember?" She rolled her window back up, and watched him grow smaller as the distance between her and Tree Hill did too. She prayed she was doing the right thing, and that she would find her prince who would ride her off into the sunset on his white horse.

_**Here you are your sitting there  
Begging for forgiveness, begging for me  
Just like I always wanted but I'm sooo sorry**_

_**Cause I'm not your princess, this ain't a fairytale  
I'm gonna find someone someday who might actually treat me well  
This is a big world, that was a small town  
There in my rearview mirror disappearing now  
Now it's too late for you and your white horse  
Now it's too late for you and your white horse, to catch me now**_


	2. Let Me Put My Love Into You

A/N: don't own OTH, SPN, or AC/DC.

* * *

Three weeks back in Tree Hill, and she was already suffocating from all the stares and talks among her friends revolving around she and Lucas.

"Why can't everyone accept that Lucas and I are over. We ended two years ago in that damn hotel room. I moved on." She screamed towards the man who had been the only staple in her life for as long as she could remember. They had grown from enemies in elementary school for fear of the dreaded other gender cooties, to lovers in their teenage years, finally settling on friends in their adulthood.

"Sawyer, calm down. You're making your office much less of a safe haven for me. Now what is going on?" He asked calmly from behind his long dark locks.

"Brooke still thinks I am in love with him. But not only her, you all tiptoe around Lucas and Lindsay and their impending wedding like I'll break if you speak too much about it. Brooke won't discuss the wedding dress she is making for her, and she just keeps sending me these pity looks. It's like she's saying 'it should be you.' Haley, I love your wife, but if she asks me if I want to talk about it one more time, I may go off." She heard him mutter something under his breath, but she continued. "And even you, you avoid telling me anything that has to do with him. If he is having trouble letting go, I'm sorry, but I let go of it all three years ago in a bar." She finished ranting to Nathan who was sitting on the couch of her newly formed record company office.

"It took you two years to get over him? In a bar, huh?" He smirked slightly at the thought of Peyton picking up a stranger in a bar. The smirk and light tone in his voice made Peyton perk up. For the last two and a half weeks, Nathan had been arriving at her office around 9AM every day and leaving only in time to return home to dinner, and he wouldn't be doing that if she hadn't pushed the issue. So he came to Peyton's office during the day. She never pushed for answers to his behavior, and they never forced out a conversation. Most days they said no more than 'hi'. Some days he would sit there and watch her work, others he would sleep, and eventually the amount of alcohol it took to make it through the day decreased. Three weeks ago, it took 2 bottles of Jack Daniels; the last week it had only taken one. It was progress.

"Well, you know, I thought that a full 24 months was only appropriate considering all the things the boy made me do. If it had taken less, leaving you behind and all the fighting with Brooke would have seemed pointless." She laughed in a bittersweet moment. Those moments had been lows in her life, she regretted her actions when it came to the triangles from hell.

"I would've expected a full three years from the boy who made you give up this." He said motioning towards his face. It was good to see him laugh, and to see the confidence returning to the man before her.

"Well, that and the boy I was with were different. You didn't have that cool rockstar look going on then. Two years was sufficient." Even in the state of mind he was in, she was amazed at how quickly she could go from angry to regretful to happy in Nathan's presence. They really had come full circle; when they had dated it was mostly happy then angry.

"Ha ha. So now that Brooke has helped you start this record company and Luke and his mom have rented you this great space, have you found any artists to promote?"

"With the help of your wife, we found that the key ingredient to Jason's band was a girl named Mia. She's gonna be great. What has you so talkative today?" She sat down at her desk and began going through the mail, hoping to receive word from any of the artists she had attempted to contact.

"I just thought we had sat in silence long enough." She could feel the pain that protruded from his voice, but she hoped talking would help him out of it. "Besides I am tired of watching you cry when you think I am sleeping."

"You see that, huh?" She hung her head down. Not only had it been three weeks since she had been in Tree Hill, it had been three weeks since he had come back for her and she left him staring at the road she left behind. She wasn't sure she made the right decision.

"Yeah." He wheeled his chair closer to her desk, clasping their hands together. "I'll listen, I know I don't act like it, but I will. You're still my best friend."

"Thanks, Nate." She let their eyes meet, and she could see that he meant the words he was saying. "I'll listen, you know."

"I know, but I'm not ready yet." He said lightly, while throwing his arm around her shoulders. She let her head rest against his chest, ignoring the smell of whiskey, and the armrests from his chair that poked into her side. She knew that no matter what, that she and Nate would be there for each other. They would understand when no one else could.

"So tell me about LA."

She closed her eyes and recollected the defining moments in her life over the last four years. "I was ready to marry him when he asked me, you know. I thought he was the love of my life, I just wanted more time. Maybe that was selfish then, but I didn't want us to get married and forget about our dreams, the things we were supposed to accomplish alone." She felt it when his body tensed up at the mention of dreams, and she felt guilty for talking about them. "Sorry, if it makes you feel better, they didn't come true in LA anyway."

"It doesn't. Just because mine are over doesn't mean I want to see everyone around me lose theirs. Go on."

"You're a good guy. Anyway, when he left me in the hotel room, I thought that was the end. I would never get over him, and I was hurt and angry and scared. I spent a lot of time loving Lucas, and for nearly two years after he left, I woke up and went to sleep with him on mind. The days were so hard."

"What happened two years later?"

"I let go." She said it as if it were the simplest solution in the world and the easiest thing she had ever done.

"I'm glad. I've watched Lucas turn into someone he different over the years, and honestly Peyton, he doesn't deserve you anymore."

* * *

"I'm on the highway to hell…" the words flew from his mouth with such ease you would have never guessed that he had literally been there a few years ago.

Sam's deep voice cut through the air of rock music, disrupting the calm that Dean found. "One day, we're gonna work on this music collection of yours. It hasn't changed in four years."

"Classics never die." Dean said simply.

"I'm pretty sure they were dead when you bought them, have you listened to this guy's voice?"

"Hey" He broke contact with the road to glare at his brother. "Nobody insults AC/DC. Sorry if I don't listen to your little girly music."

"Not girly, just current." He replied quickly, with a grin. He was getting on his brother's nerves. Something he had missed when Dean was in hell, and he though he would never see him again. "I mean how many people listen to this stuff anymore?"

"Enough" One word was all it took to stop Sam's attempts at a brotherly argument. In that one word, Sam could hear a lifetime of regret and pain, and he had no clue what was the root. Sure they were brothers, close even. But the period after Dean left hell and before they reunited was one he never talked about. More and more the regret kept sinking into their conversations, and Sam could only assume it had something to do with the two days he disappeared about three weeks ago.

_Dean and Peyton were driving in the Comet down Interstate 10._

"_I can't believe you don't even have a tape player in this thing." He said glancing at her. Her hair glistened in the sunlight, and the wind carried it slightly in front of her face as she watched the other cars pass them by. She was breathtaking. So he would steal glances regularly._

"_It didn't come with one." She caught sight of him staring. "What?"_

_"Nothing." He smiled, keeping silent. He didn't want to give her a big head. Oh, what the hell, he thought. "You're beautiful." _

"_You're handsome." She said smiling back at him. Both of their eyes meeting for seconds at a time as he swapped from her to the road. He really was handsome. She never thought she would fall for a man who was so , well, manly, maybe a little chauvinistic. He was never happy as a passenger, and he used the term 'woman' way too much, he could charm his way out of anything, and she was madly in love with it all._

"_You could have added one, you know." Damn, and he could ruin a moment without realizing it._

"_Here let me fix that" she said as she reached for the metal knob. _

_AC/DC quickly filled the silence with their raspy voice, and rockin' guitars._

_Let me put my love into you, babe  
Let me put my love on the line  
Let me put my love into you, babe  
Let me cut your cake with my knife_

_Both Peyton and Dean sang along to the lyrics. Maybe it wasn't a wholesome song you learned from your parents, but it had become their unofficial song. It was playing on the jukebox the night they first spoke in the bar; it was playing in the car later that night when they reached ecstasy for the first of many times; and it managed to pop up at random times to remind them of every moment they had experienced together._

One word was all Dean could muster out when he started thinking about her. He had never been so attracted to someone to beautiful, someone so tragic, someone so emotional and emotionless at the same time. He loved her, and it ran deeper than either of them would ever admit. Leaving her those years ago was hard, and he had only awakened twice in that time and not regretted it. Those were the days he remembered what his life would do to her. She was already broken, his lifestyle would shatter her.

"Are you ever going to tell me about it?" Sam said letting the curiosity and pain seep out in his words.

Dean gripped his steering wheel with his free hand and focused his eyes on the road, replying coolly. "About what?"

"About the six months before you thought to tell your brother you were alive, I mean, it must've been pretty important for you not to come find me."

"You were in school again." They watched the mile markers pass in silence before he spoke again. "Besides, I still didn't know what the hell had happened. One minute I was in hell, the next I wasn't."

"I know you, Dean. There was something else. Why won't you just tell me?"

"Because it hurts too damn much." His voice was heavy and loud, and the water forming in his eyes was making it all come back more real than he wanted it too. "So just drop it."

"Fine." Sam still wasn't satisfied, but he could tell it was going to take a while to get this information. It was going to be violent and painful, but they would get there. The next few hours would pass in silence as they traveled to their destination in Fairfax, Virginia, and Dean estimated in his head the distance between them and Tree Hill.


	3. Don't Know What You've GotTil It's Gone

A/N: Don't own One Tree Hill, Supernatural, or the song.

* * *

"It was the grandmother all along. I still have trouble seeing that sweet old women as a demon." Sam said as he watched Dean throw their bags in the trunk with his normal ease taking careful note not to slam the trunk too hard.

"Can't trust anybody Sammy" Dean shrugged not wanting to stand around and chat. He slid into the driver's side of the other love in his life, his black impala.

"So where are we going now?" Sam asked, following Dean's lead and resting in the passengers side as the ignition turned on.

"Just a small detour, it shouldn't take more than a few days." He pulled out of the seedy motel and onto the open road. "North Carolina." He said finally when his brother continued giving him a funny look.

"What's in North Carolina?" Sam said as rummaged through the cassettes. He had been through them a million times, he hated them, yet there was something calming about them. Maybe it was that he had spent a year without them, without his brother. But something was different about them now. They were alphabetized, AC/DC, Boston, and so on. Dean would never organize his tapes. Something was off. They had been reunited for nearly two years, and they still were no where near back to normal.

"Just something I need to do, can we not talk about it?" He said cutting the stereo up a little more, and setting the speedometer on sixty.

"We never do anyways." Was muttered beneath the music, but Dean wasn't going to get mad at his little brother for the small sarcastic comments that were continually spoken, seemingly unheard over the past two years.

"I got to fuel up, you want a drink or something?" Dean said as he pulled the car up to the nearest pump.

"Yeah, can I get a coke, and some combos, and how about some juicy fruit for later." He ignored the strange look his brother gave him upon hearing the request because he had a plan, keep Dean in the store for as long as he could. When he watched his brother walk into the store, he picked up the case of cassettes once more, pulling out the one that wasn't there three years ago. In two years he had failed to notice the addition of Survivor to the collection. He could only guess he assumed it was always there because of Dean's obsession with 'Eye of the Tiger'. He can remember a twelve year old Dean rocking out to it even with the weight they carried as young children.

But it wasn't always there, it had been added when Dean was away. He knew Dean wouldn't buy a new tape for himself, so it must be a gift, and if found out that Sam had caught on to its presence, he would find a way to hide it. So he shuffled the clear plastic case opened and unfolded the liner notes to find a picture of his brother and a blonde woman. Dean was driving with both hands on the wheel while she had one arm around his neck and the other holding the camera. He had never seen the look in his brothers eyes that appeared in the photograph before him, but he could tell it was love. He had never seen the woman before, and on the back she had written the words 'The search is over. I love you. – Peyton'. So many scenarios had run through Sam's head over the past two years about what Dean did in his absence, but never had he thought it was a woman keeping him preoccupied. Dean didn't settle for one, it wasn't his way. He didn't want to end up hurting, much like he obviously was now. He took one last glance at the woman in the picture, and stuffed it back into the cassette as it was. They were going to North Carolina, likely to see her, and Sam wanted to know when they did see her.

"Here's your stuff, man. You're lucky, they were almost out of combos."

"Oh yeah." Sam looked at the bag in his hand before remembering that he didn't even like combos, but apparently he had seen a commercial for them last night, and it was in his head. "Here, you take 'em. I'm not hungry anymore."

"Fine." Dean opened the bag and began munching on the pretzel cheese snack as they continued down the road.

* * *

"Haley's coming in today to start recording." Those were the first words that left her lips as she entered her office. "Just thought I'd give you some warning. So, you going to stick around?"

"Maybe" was all he responded with, and that is how she knew that today would be one with little conversation. She wasn't sure how Nathan felt about Haley recording again, but the blonde had spent a lot of time with Haley and knew that music might help her while Nathan figured out his life.

"I'm sorry I didn't ask you how you felt about this, but I've watched your wife over the last few weeks and I think this will be good for her." She felt as though she needed to apologize to him for meddling in his life, but she also knew he didn't expect her to.

"I'm glad she's found music again. I haven't exactly made her life easy over the last few months. She deserves something. I think I'm just going to go home today." He began wheeling himself out.

"Hey Nate?" She called before letting him leave.

"Call me if you need me, ok?"

"Ok." He left her office for the day, but she knew he would be there the next morning and they would continue their routine.

* * *

Haley gently caressed the ivory keys and hummed a gentle melody. They had recorded two songs in the studio earlier today, and Haley was working on writing another while Peyton slid into the seat beside her.

"The songs you recorded today were great Hales."

"Yeah." She agreed half-heartedly while continuing the melody.

"What's wrong?" she said noticing the tears that were beginning to form in her eyes.

"Everything." She said dejectedly.

"It can't be that bad, can it?" Peyton asked, with an eyebrow raised.

"I played that song for the Nathan in the café. It was the first time I had sung in front of anyone. I just miss my husband." She let the tears escape and fell into the blonde's arms, thankful for the release and understanding.

"Oh, Haley. I know you don't see it now, but he will come back to you. I'll make sure of it." She whispered while smoothing the woman's hair.

"I hope you're right Peyton, I don't know how much longer I can do this." She began wiping the drops that stained her cheeks, hoping to control her emotions, something she had become good at. "Have you talked to Lucas lately?" She said, hoping to change the subject.

"No. I thought we were talking about you."

"We were, until I changed the subject. It's just Lindsay is in New York this week, and I know he has been wanting to clear the air between you two."

Peyton got up and walked to her desk before pulling out a packet of papers from the top drawer of her dark wooden desk. "Here. This is the first half of his next book. He left it with Owen two days ago. I can't bring myself to read it." She admitted. She was afraid of Lucas Scott's words for several reasons.

"Why not? He gave it to you for a reason." Haley inquired. She knew Lucas could express himself better when given time to think out his words.

"That is what I am afraid of. So do you want to return it to him for me?" She said offering it to Haley.

Haley simply shrugged her hands away before saying "Not until you have read it. I'm sorry, but Lucas is my best friend, and if he gave it to you to read, I think you should read it."

"You know it won't change anything, don't you."

"If that is what you want to believe." Haley liked Lindsay, Lucas' fiancé, but she loved Peyton. If there were a chance for them to reunite Haley would be on board fully.

* * *

"Knock, Knock." The voice caused Peyton to stir from her thoughts. She was kind of expecting him to come after her conversation with Haley earlier, but she still wasn't ready.

"Lucas, what are you doing here?" she asked softly motioning for him to sit.

He sat in the red chair in front of her desk and began playing with the threaded wristband on his left wrist. Peyton Sawyer would always make him nervous. "I was just wondering if you had read the book yet?"

"I haven't, and honestly I don't know if I will, Lucas."

"Please, Peyton, I want you to know how I feel, and those are the best words I can use. Those words represent my apology and my love for you. You have to know I still love you." He ceased playing with the wristband and directed his bright blue eyes into hers, searching for something to tell him the feelings were mutual. He couldn't find it.

"Lucas…" She started, at first with sympathy, then she realized something. He didn't have her because of his own actions.

"Peyton, I still love you, and you said 'someday', so if you read the book, you'll know exactly how I feel and we can go back." Lucas was always changing his mind when it came to women. Sure most of the time, he returned to her, but he would always start full intent on his love for another. Brooke, now Lindsay.

Peyton had been a pathetic mess over Lucas Scott two more years than he deserved, and she was not about to fall back. She had moved on, and she couldn't forget _him_. Three weeks ago, she could have had Dean, but she was too stubborn for that. "Luke, 'someday' was before a cold morning in that hotel room, before two years of drunken nights in LA, before Lindsay. I'm sorry Luke, but 'someday' is gone because you couldn't wait."

"Peyton, I was young…impatient. I didn't mean to hurt you the way I did. I thought you were saying no when you said 'someday'…"

She interrupted him. "I wasn't saying 'no' though Lucas." She could feel her voice raising, and she could see Lucas' regret in his face. "Look, I'm not mad or hurt anymore. I found love again, and I wouldn't have been able to do that without you leaving." She held back a smile remembering all the high times she had with Dean, and Lucas could see the glimmer in her eyes. "I guess I should thank you for that."

"Thank me." Lucas scoffed. She had moved on. "If you moved on where is he? Why can't we be together now. I don't see anyone." He rose from his seat, upset that she had moved on. Sure he had, but she wasn't supposed to.

"It didn't work out." She thought back to all those nights in the chair staring out over the city hoping Dean would return to her, and a tear ran down her cheek, unnoticed by Lucas. "I'm sorry Luke. I'm not in love with you anymore. You should go. Lindsay loves you, and you don't need to ruin that." He finally saw the glistening stream on her cheek, and he soon thought they were tears for him.

"You'll remember our love, and we'll be to together again."

"Luke, just go."

"You'll remember." Was all he could whisper before walking out of the office.

* * *

After spending an hour in her office trying to figure out a way of making the world forget about the relationship that once was Lucas and Peyton, she emerged empty handed. It seemed that no one including Lucas was quite ready to let go, but Peyton desparately wished they would. She debated telling them all about Dean, and she debated just going back to LA, but somehow both of those options seemed out of the question. Instead of wasting more time, she decided to go meet Nathan in the bar he went to avoid Haley at the studio.

Nathan had been there all day. He had only had four shots of any type of liquor despite having been there for nearly 8 hours. He was finding himself less and less dependent on alcohol, and more and more dependent on his friendship with Peyton. He was thankful for her, she never pushed him too hard, she would listen or sit in silence, she would treat him like a friend, and he wanted to be there for her. So he is sitting at the table in the corner waiting for her to come, ready with a listening ear.

The darkness was setting in on small North Carolina town as Dean and Sam reached the Tree Hill city limits.

"A bar, Dean? I thought you came to this little town for a reason." Sam inquired as they stopped in the parking lot of the bar.

"Can't do anything tonight. Besides I need a little of the liquid courage." The last sentence was whispered barely audible, but Sam was still able to hear.

"When are you going to tell me why we are here?" He said as they walked into the dark musky bar. Dean quickly approached the bartender, anxious to release his feelings with the liquid. Sam, however, took his time scouring the room that held only a handful of people. That's when he saw her, the girl from the picture.

"Here you go, Sammy. Let's sit." Sam quickly took the seat facing the blonde woman and her friend so that Dean wouldn't see them. After finding the picture and then the note on the back, Sam could be certain this woman was the missing piece of information. Seeing her with another man in the corner of a bar might not be the way Dean would want to meet her again.

"Fine, guess I'll sit here." Dean said sarcastically as he slid into the cold bench seat of the booth. Taking a sip of his bear, he smiled to the waitress as she brought a picture to the table, he began looking around as he listened to the sounds of Cindarella's "Don't know What You've Got" overtake the air waves in the room. Taking note of his surrounding was a habit not uncommon to a hunter, but he definitely didn't expect to see her there. She was in the corner hugging a dark haired man with a cane, then she kissed his cheek, and sat down beside him taking his hands in her own. It hit Dean like a ton of bricks.


	4. Since I've Been Loving You

A/N: I don't own One Tree Hill or Supernatural or Led Zeppelin's Since I've Been Loving You. Sadly, it took me 23 years of life to discover this song, but with my new infatuation with blues-rock songs, it has quickly become my favorite, so I am glad to incorporate it as the song for this chapter.

* * *

"Nathan." She nearly squealed, which was very unlike her, when she caught sight of him without his wheelchair, but with a cane instead. She gripped him tightly before kissing his cheek and sitting in the booth across from him. She thought the smile would be permanently attached to her face after seeing one of her best friends crawling out of the darkness. She had been able to see just how deep that darkness was, and to see any bit of progress was amazing. "When did you…? How did this…? You're walking!!!" she stammered to find the words.

He let a small smirk form, a reminder of the Nathan Scott Tree Hill had once known. He hadn't planned on telling anyone of his progress, but when she called him, she sounded stressed, and he had planned on telling her eventually. "I have you to thank. You've made me see what I've become, and that I can make it better. Thanks." He said taking her hand in his in a mannerism meant to thank her. Neither of them noticed the glares that this was receiving from the man across the room. "Now what's brings you here, Sawyer?"

"Your brother is an ass."

"Can't blame me for that; I tried to keep him out of our world in high school." He quipped, remembering how he had fought so hard against Lucas in his teenage years.

"Was that a joke, Nate? You better watch out or people are going to start thinking you are actually happy." He hadn't cracked too many jokes since she had been back in town, and she too remembered the early days of the Lucas dynamic. She never thought that things would turn out like they had now, that she would have had her heart broken by him, that Nate and he would actually be friends, or that Haley and Nathan would be married.

"It's been an okay day for me. So why exactly is he an ass this time?" He said trying to take the focus away from his mood and put it back where they originated.

"Well, he brought me half of his new book the other day expecting me to read it." She stopped to sip on her drink, letting the bitter fluid sear its way down.

"Okay, so why is that a problem?" he asked with an expectant look on his face.

"Because he thinks it will remind me that I am in love with him." When Nathan's face changed, she knew he understand.

"Oh." Was all he had to say. He knew the other day in her office when she said she was over him, she meant it. "What about Lindsay? Is he just going to throw her under the bus if you were to want him back?"

"Apparently, but while telling me I'll remember our love, I think he is just going to hold on to her. You know how he hates to be alone. He's crazy if he thinks that going to turn out well with his love confession behind her back." They both laughed at how stupid the other blonde could be. He never seemed to be happy with what he had. He always wanted more.

"Oh Nate," she sighed after sipping again on her drink. "It's good talking like this again. I've missed my friendships with you, and Brooke." She sent him a smile which he returned. He too was thankful for the return of their friendship, especially at this point in his life. He needed a friend who wouldn't push, but a friend who would understand, listen, and just be there for him. "So when are you going to tell Haley about your progress, I mean, this is great." She said motioning to the cane and his ability to use his legs.

"I don't know. I know once I tell her she is going to start pushing. She wants me to be what I was before, and I'm not the same." He said with sadness. He didn't want to disappoint his family, but it seemed inevitable.

"Nate, she just wants her husband back. The one who talks to her, and kisses her. She'll be thrilled to see any sign that your still there. I know Jamie would too."

"I've treated them both so horrible over the last few months; they don't deserve it."

"Nathan." She reached for his hand not realizing the attention this brought from a certain man across the bar room. "You can't change what you've already done, but you can change what happens now and from here on out. They deserve the best you that you can give them. In the process, you might just get back some of the love that you are needing. You can all heal together."

"I know you're right, Peyt, it's just, I don't think it's going to be that easy." He said with water forming in his eyes. "I love Haley, but she doesn't understand where I am at. I lost my dream. Basketball is who I am. I don't know what I am without it, and I'm reminded of that in almost everything I look at."

"Without basketball, you're Nathan Scott, loving husband, amazing father, caring friend, and an amazing man. You just have to shift your focus in the work area."

"I am pretty great, you forgot, damn sexy." He said trying to lighten the mood. He knew if he told Peyton that he didn't believe any of those adjectives in the last sentence, they would be there forever. While it helped that she believed them; he knew she was biased because of their friendship.

"Arrogant asshole, sarcastic…" she muttered with a smile, accepting his attempt to change the tone of their talk. She knew it would take time, but the progress he had already made was still exciting.

"Ha ha. So…" he raised his eyebrows searching for a new subject. "…that tall guy in the corner keeps checking you out. Don't look now, wait until his friend leaves, I'll tell when he leaves. You should go talk to him, you said a bar helped you get over Lucas, so why not try that again."

* * *

"Dean, are you okay? You look like you are going to explode." Sam asked his brother hoping the sight before him wouldn't result in a fight.

"I need air." He said grabbing his beer and heading for the door quickly. He felt as though the air were getting to thin. He knew she would move on eventually, and he had expected after she'd turn down his apology a month ago, but he was no where near prepared.

"Okay." Sam said after Dean had already shut the door to the small bar. He sat there looking at the blonde with curiousity. Dean had fallen for this woman, and he suddenly became very curious as to how his brother could fall for one woman, and still be hung up on her. When he noticed the tall dark haired man giving him a look, he quickly began looking down at his half empty bottle. He hadn't realized he was staring, but apparently he was giving the impression he was interested in her personally, or at least that is what he thought when she came to his table and took a seat.

"This seat taken?" she said as she sat.

"No."

"I'm Peyton. I'm not normally this forward, but you look strangely familiar. Do I know you?" she asked quirking a eyebrow upward, waiting for his response.

"Not directly, but I've seen your picture before."

"Oh?"

"In a Survivor tape." He noticed the hurt expression that flashed across her face at his words. "It's still in his car." He added, so she would know he hadn't gotten rid of it or their only photo as a couple.

"Is he here?" she whispered, knowing that they both knew what the other was talking about despite their lack of details.

"He just went outside. Truth is, I think he saw you and the guy over there, and he obviously isn't over you." Sam stated boldly hoping to get the two talking.

"So I guess that makes you…"

"Sam, his brother."

"He used to talk about you a lot. It's good to finally meet you."

"I wish I could say the same, but I had to dig through his stuff to find out anything about you even existing. It's nice to meet you too though." He said taking her hand, and trying not to sound to bitter about his brother's secrecy.

"Yeah, Dean's not very open about things, is he? He is proud of you, I think that is why he talks about you."

"He misses you, that's probably why he doesn't talk about you."

"Yeah." She said half questioningly, despite his attempt at getting her back a month or so ago, she wasn't so sure he did miss her. But he was here in Tree Hill, that had to mean something.

"He's not good at this whole relationship thing. I mean, I don't know any details about you guys, but it took me six months of me on the road with him to open up to me about our own father." Sam explained. He hoped that he could at least try to fix whatever was going on with his brother and this woman.

"I see you've moved on. And with my brother no less." Dean's voice carried over their conversation as he reapproached his table, motioning to their hands that were still connected.

"Dean.." Sam interjected. "We were just talking. You never even told me why we were here."

"Well, Sam, it was very nice meeting you. Hope to see you again." Peyton said rising from her seat giving Dean a glare for his comment. "I'm going to step outside for a minute, care to join me?" She asked with a fake smile plastered on her face.

She pushed the doors of the small bar open with him hot on her heels as they were swept up into the cool autumn air. "What the hell is your problem?" She asked loudly crossing her arms in his direction. She wanted an explanation for the attitude that he gave her and his brother inside.

"Me. I got no problems." He screamed not backing down from her glare.

"Oh well, you look like you have no problems. You're acting like someone shoved a stick up your ass. Do you care to explain that to me? You know, why you came to Tree Hill, my home town, with an attitude that I don't understand why I deserve." She got closer to his body, never losing contact with his eyes. She wanted him to know that this wasn't okay. He couldn't just come here.

"Classy. Maybe I just wasn't ready to see you with someone else. I guess when I came to Tree Hill I should have known that you would probably be in a bar, I mean that is where we met after all." His words stung her, as he insinuated that she could just move on from him, sure it had been two years, but she still couldn't see the end of her feelings for him. But she couldn't let him see that pain.

"You're not ready. Dean, you walked out on us two years ago, Not ready doesn't really apply to two fucking years." She was screaming at him. She noticed his mouth form into an almost word before she cut him off, knowing what his next line would be. "And coming to me the day I left LA didn't really make up for any of it."

"Peyton, I was stupid to leave you, okay. Is that what you want to hear? I screwed up, maybe another chance is too much ask, but it's what I'm asking for." He spoke loudly and harshly and not like a man pleading for another chance with a woman he loved, but when had Dean ever done anything like he was supposed to.

Someone walked out of the bar about the time Dean finished asking for his second chance, and they could both hear the fitting words from a Zeppelin song carry over their conversation.

**_Since I've been crying, my tears they fell like rain_**

She thought for a second about how many tears she had let escape her eyes since their relationship ended, but did that mean that taking him back would stop the tears. Could they really go back in time two years?

**_Do you remember mama, when I knocked upon your door?_**

**_I said you had the nerve to tell me you didn't want me no more, yeah_**

He seemed to think they could, or else he would be here time and again asking for another chance. She couldn't stop the thoughts from running through her head, so she stood there, unsure of what to say or do._  
_

He took the silence that followed as an answer, despite the longing gaze she was sending his way. "Fine, I didn't really expect anything anyway. Tell Sam, I'm going to a motel." He said disappearing around the corner of the brick building.

When she was alone she walked to the cold brick resting her forehead lightly trying to fight back the tears, until she heard a voice behind her. "Peyton?" Nathan said as he pushed his way over to her with his cane in hand.

"You ready to go home?" she said wiping away any trace of her tears, any trace of the emotions she was feeling. She wasn't ready to talk about it.

"I'd rather stay here and you get whatever is going on out in the open." He said grimacing as he waited for her response.

"Go home, Nate. Tell Haley about your progress. She'll be thrilled. I'll be fine. I have to go back in there and deliver a message."

"What's going on, Sawyer?" he said as she wiped away another stray tear.

"The man I'm in love with is here. In Tree Hill." She whispered her lips quivering as she finally gave a confession of her emotions.

"What are you saying? You really are still in love with Lucas?" He asked confused.

"No! The man sitting in there at that table, it's his brother." She watched his face change, a look revealing a somewhat relieved yet equally as worried man. "Really, you should just go home, Nate. I have to go find him." She walked around the same corner that Dean had just disappeared around, her eyes searching frantically for any sign of him. She looked at each of the cars as she passed them thinking to herself. She couldn't understand why she was being such a bitch to him; sure they had broken up a few years ago, but he had always been honest about it not being able to last forever. He had even come back twice hoping for another chance, one of those times across the country.

She finally spotted his car parked across the street next to the Tree Hill Motel. It was a shady establishment, known to capture the often illegal business of the town, but when she watched his figure retreat into one of the rundown rooms she couldn't stop herself from walking in the path he had most likely followed to that very spot.

Dean had walked into the room slamming the door behind him. He wasn't even expecting to see her tonight, and yet there she was sipping a drink, laughing, with him, whoever he was. He wasn't sure why he kept putting himself through this rejection. Why did he have to fall for her, why could he forget her like he had all the others in his past? He sat down on the edge of his bed, pushing his hair back through his fingers and finally falling backwards into the lumpy mattress, his feet still resting on the floor at the end of the bed.

He was content to lay right there and fall asleep, to forget about ever coming to Tree Hill with any hope. That was, until he heard the door swing open and shut. "What the hell…?" he started as he sat up. He was surprised to see her, walking towards him briskly. He wasn't sure whether to be happy or scared, but she didn't say anything. She folded each of her legs placing one on each side of his and she slid her arms up under his, embracing him. She rested her chin on his shoulder and just sat that for what seemed like a lifetime before she finally felt his arm return the gesture and his hand soothingly slide up and down her back. Neither wanted to taint the moment with words, so they just sat there hugging silently, thankful for the contact they had both been yearning for.


	5. Eye of the Tiger

A/N: I still do not own One Tree Hill or Supernatural, or Survivor's Eye of the Tiger. I know Dean may seem a little softer than normal right now, but remember that he is trying to keep Peyton from running away from him. Enjoy!

* * *

She nestled her head into the crook of his neck searching for the comfort that she always used to find there. He tightened his embrace around her body hoping he would never have to let her go. Words still hadn't managed to break through the silence that filled the small room. 'I've missed you' was on tip of her tongue, but she couldn't force herself to blurt out those words. She couldn't give him the satisfaction. She was still too hurt, too angry to admit anything like that. So she closed her eyes and inhaled his scent that was now mixed with the smoke from the bar they were at earlier.

He toyed with the idea of kissing her, but wasn't sure that much contact would be welcome. When he finally throught he just might do it, they were interrupted by the door swinging open and Dean's brother walking in, rambling something about trust. She rose from her spot in his lap, straightening her clothes as if she had been doing something wrong. She wondered how she could have fallen into his arms, why was she torturing herself? The flash of pain on Dean's face, made her want to jump back into his arms, but she remembered his brother still standing by the doorway, almost embarassed. "I'm sorry, I'll just rent another room for tonight or something." he said while he turned towards the door, so obviously wondering what the hell was going on and why his brother never told him about this woman.

"Sam?" she whispered.

"Yeah?" he said turning to face her, with Dean still seated his hand now entwined with Peyton's even though neither could tell you when they joined.

"Don't! I was just leaving." She stepped farther from the bed, letting her hand slide from Dean's, painfully aware of the butterflies that disappeared with the loss of contact.

"Stay." Sam said as he stepped out the door anyway. He wanted his brother to be happy. It was easy to see that for him to happy, he had to either reunite with Peyton or learn to move on. Either way, they needed to talk, and he knew that wouldn't happen with him in the same room. He shut the door quietly, leaving the two alone in the dark room.

Dean was first to move, rising from his spot on the bed to get closer to her. All he really wanted to do was take her in his arms and tell her how much he loved her, but he knew that probably wouldn't get him anywhere. So he spoke instead. "Peyton..." he reached for her, but she stepped away.

"Why are you here, Dean?" she let the words out softly, her eyes pleading for the words she expected to hear him say, but she thought he might not. Dean was often times too proud to admit what he was feeling, but she hung to the hope that he would say what she yearned to hear.

"I love you, Peyton. I had to try to make this..._us_...right." his eyes peirced into hers, and all the while her heart leapt.

"I love you too, Dean." she said reaching for his hands with her own, never dropping their gaze. "So where does that leave _us_?"

"I wish I knew. but I think I've learned not to make promises."

"So we just take it day by day?"

"Or night by night." he asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Dean!!" she shrieked and gave him a look of disappointment.

"Too Soon?" he asked, while wrapping her in a hug.

"Too soon." she confirmed, wrapping her own arms around his torso.

* * *

Nathan limped into Peyton's office, no longer using the wheelchair he had once used as a crutch for his bad mood. He plopped down on the couch as he normally did, he took the magazine out of back pocket and began reading about his uncle Cooper's new race team.

As Nathan read the article, Peyton walked through the familiar doors of tric, stopping at the bar momentarily.

"So Bartender Boy, my roommate expect tonight to be one hell of date." she stated as refilled empty bottles.

"Really?" he asked nervously, his eye twitching slightly.

"Yeah. You look scared." she said as her lips curved upward into a smile. She was amused by the power that was her best friend.

"Brooke Davis is a scary woman."

"It'll be fine, I'm just messing with you. She is looking forward to it. Besides she already agreed to the date. That's was the hard part. Just don't forget what's under the clothes." she winked as she pushed herself away from the bar and in the direction of her office.

"Aww, dude, she told you about that."

"We tell each other everything!" she screamed back at him before disappearing into her office.

"You're in a good mood" Nathan pointed accusedly in the direction of his female confidante.

"I see remnants of a smile on your face too, there Nate." she responded as she slid into her chair.

"I told Haley."

"And?" she asked expectantly.

"She's thrilled. We even made..."

"If you dare finish that sentence, I'm throwing you out of my office for a weak, Nathan?" she threatened to save her image of Haley and Nathan's relationship.

"Alright, ok? So what has you so smiling, Sawyer? When I left the bar last night, no offense, but you were kind of a mess. Does this have something to do with a certain mystery man being in town?"

"Maybe." she smiled coyly.

"So are you going to tell me about him, or I don't know, maybe let me meet him sometime."

"Maybe." she smiled again.

"Way to be vague, Sawyer." he smiled, happy that his friend was happy.

"I love him. We have a lot to work out, but he's willing to try if I am, and that makes me happy. I have a chance to be happy, Nate!"

He was amazed at the power this man obviously had over the blonde. It was great to see her happy, especially after everything the woman had been through in her short 24 years of life. "That's great, Peyton. I still want to meet him though."

"We'll see, so whatcha reading?" she asked as she pointed to the magazine in his hands.

"Cooper is racing again. He's getting married too."

"Good, he deserves happiness after everything that happened with Rachel. Your uncle is a good man."

"Wow, I really do need to meet this guy, maybe he can make me all giddy too." he teased, as she threw a crumpled up sheet of paper in his direction.

When it flew about two feet too far left of his head, he couldn't resist the urge to add. "And now we know why you suck at basketball. Really? Can you not aim?"

* * *

He pulled the black Impala into a spot at the bottom of the staircase that led to Tric. He had never been there before, but it looked like a decent place. She had asked him to pick her up after her day at work, and he was thankful that she was opening up so much. He was surprised to say that least. One I love you last night and the promise to take it one day at a time, and somehow everything fell back into place. It seemed strange. He contemplated the idea of Peyton being possessed or under some kind of spell, but he ultimately settled on the idea that she just loved him enough to overlook the flaws in him and their relationship. He didn't honestly plan on getting her back this trip, he just wanted to see her, how she was doing, but things fell into place. He couldn't stop the boyish grin from overtaking his face as she slid into the seat of his other life's love.

"I'm glad I came to Tree Hill." he said as she removed her lips from his own. Peyton could definitely make him feel alive, even with only her kisses.

"Me too." He pulled out of the parking lot, as she reached for his cassette box in the backseat. "So where are we going?"

"I don't know. I thought we'd just drive around, maybe stop for the sunset or something." he pulled her shoulders into his body after he watched her put the Survivor tape they both knew so well into the tape player. "Ooo oo, turn it up."

She could only laugh as she watched the seriousness overtake his face and the loud voice burst from his diaphragm.

_Risin' up, back on the street  
Did my time, took my chances  
Went the distance, now I'm back on my feet  
Just a man and his will to survive_

_So many times, it happens too fast  
You change your passion for glory  
Don't lose your grip on the dreams of the past  
You must fight just to keep them alive _

"You are too funny, Dean Winchester." she said letting her hand slip over his abs as she looked at his face.

"That is not, though. If you keep touching me like that, I'm gonna need to pull over." he said as he felt his body temperature rise.

"Oh yeah?" she responded through a big smile as she let her hand drop further down his torso.

She needed no further response when he veered his car off onto a small gravel pulloff that she recognized all too well.

"We can watch the sun set from right here." she quickly broke all contact with him and went to the front of his car to lean against the hood, knowing that she was toying with him. But it was kind of funny, for her at least.

"You're just mean." he said wrapping his arm around her shoulder, finding his own spot to lean against his car.

"I know, but you love me."

"I do." he said turning his body slightly as he watched a car approach their spot, slowing down slightly. "Wonder what his problem is?" he said quietly as the man behind the wheel of the vintage mustang shot daggers in the direction of he and his girl. _His girl._ He was extremely glad he could call her that again, but then she answered the questioned she had expected her to.

"Lucas...is my ex." And a realization entered his head. This is the town where her past was, where her exes lived, where her secrets lie. He couldn't think of all that now, but he definitely wanted to send the message to the exes. As he continued watching the car pass, he pulled Peyton closer to him, kissing her temple and throwing the man a slight friendly wave behind her shoulder. Perhaps the man would see that Peyton had moved on, and maybe he could just continue his journey down the road without the vengeful stares.

Lucas, unprepared to see Peyton happy again, panicked when the man waved and revved up the engine, jetting off down the road quicker than planned. Had he lost her forever, who was this strange man whose arms she was in? And more importantly what the hell was he going to do to get her out of this other man's arms and into his.

Peyton knew that Lucas would be upset to seeing her with Dean, especially after his love confession yesterday. But she couldn't bring herself to care. Because in this moment, in this man's arms, she couldn't imagine herself happier if she tried.


	6. It's All Forgotten Now

A/N: I do not own One Tree Hill or Supernatural. The title of the chapter is a song title from the Shining Soundtrack, I don't own it either, but the title fit well. So I am going to bring Bevin into this story, and to explain my basis for the character she is now, I am going to refer you to the bathroom scene between her and Rachel when they were doing the english picture project. I was a little disappointed that after that scene that OTH writers brought her back five years later not much different. They had written the oppurtunity to go and make her a successful smart woman, but instead they brought her back as Tim's wife working in a department store. Anyway enough of my rambling. Enjoy!

* * *

"Peyton Elizabeth Sawyer, get your skinny ass in this kitchen right now." she heard Brooke's voice bellow from the other room as she snuck in the house for the first time in the last 24 hours.

"Yes." she said meekly as she entered the lavish kitchen in the house that she and Brooke shared.

"Where have you been? We need to talk?" she said faking anger.

"Brooke what happened?" Peyton inched closer with concern that something had happened to her best friend and she wasn't there to help her.

"We need to talk about.." she paused as she chewed on the red licorice between her fingers, "this amazing man that bartends at Tric."

"Oh my gosh, Brooke, you scared me. So I take you two had a good time." she questioned as she too grabbed a piece of the red candy and leaned over the counter to hear all of the juicy gossip.

"Oh P., Owen is a catch. We spent the entire night talking, and then before he dropped me off, we kissed. I know, you think I'm crazy. But the simplicity of it all made it so special. He wasn't just looking for a good lay, or to be seen with the Brooke Davis. It was something I'm not used, but something I've missed. I mean the last time anyone treated me like this was with Chase and that was five years ago. I really think I might have found something with this man." Brooke beamed as she rambled, starry eyed, about the bartender Peyton had come to know as a friend.

"That's great. I want you to find someone to make you happy. And you definitely look happy." She said as she plastered a smile on her own face. Happiness seemed to be all around. "Now I'm going to have to give him the 'you're dating my best friend, you hurt her I'll hurt you' speech in true B. Davis fashion."

"You'll wound him first, and then I'll go in for the kill." she joked as she finished the string, and went to reach for a water bottle from the fridge nearby.

"So where have you been? I talked to Nathan last night, and he seemed kind of worried, and then I talked to Luke and he said he came and saw you yesterday, and that it didn't go well. But anyway, nobody knew where you had gone, Nate just said if you didn't come home then you were probably okay and if you did, then you would need a friend. Any clue what he meant by that?"

"It doesn't matter, everything's good." she said as she smiled, remembering something important. She had been so thrown off by her best friend's excitement.

Brooke was unprepared for the male cough that emerged as a signal they weren't alone, and the figure that appeared in the doorway awkwardly afraid of interrupting a conversation between the girls. A smile upturned on her face before she spoke in a joking manner. "You dirty whore! You brought a man, and you didn't even tell me."

"Well,..." Peyton began as she caught the man's green eyes with her own, offering an encouraging smile. An act that brought a smile to his own face as he stepped a few more feet into the room inhabited by the women. Brooke was quick to interrupt.

"Oh my God, you two are totally having eye sex in the kitchen." She said as she went up to where Dean was standing. She didn't fail to notice the shocked look on the faces of the two blondes in the room. "He's cute." She stated as she walked around the man, touching the leather on his jacket to determine the material, and then sending a Peyton a glance of approval. She looked down at his semi-washed jeans, his black t-shirt with the green button up over and the leather jacket that hung past his butt, which she imagined was as tight as his chest appeared. "He needs a fashion stylist, but I can see why you're attracted to him. Very badass vibe going, That's your M.O."

"In the room here lady." he said making his presence and uncomfortableness known.

Peyton went to his side and patted his shoulder before facing her friend. "Brooke, this is Dean. Dean this is my best friend, Brooke Davis."

"Nice to meet you Brooke."

"Nice to meet you too, Dean." she said shaking the hand he had outstretched before her.

"Well, I have to go guys." she reached for her water and went to the doorway. "I have another date with Owen and I have to clear some things up with the store first. But you two don't do anything I wouldn't do."

"Sounds like all we can do is have a single goodnight kiss. I want new rules." he fiend hurt by the limitations, even though he and Peyton hadn't fallen back into their previous relationship. They hadn't even mentioned sex, and neither had initiated anything that would lead them there. But he was Dean Winchester, and how could he resist a good sexual innuendo, especially when he had overheard the brunette female go on about how much her date had meant to her, because they had only had a single kiss at the end of it.

Peyton slapped his arm playfully and Brooke just sent him a glare before looking at Peyton. "I definitely understand this now." she motioned to the two. Then she turned around and grabbed her purse before leaving the house.

Peyton walked to fridge. "I'm sorry about her. We've been best friends for a long time. I hope she didn't scare you."

"Me. Nah." he said walked to the counter. He had faced a lot of things scarier than a best friend.

"You want something to drink?" she asked him examining the options. "Water, coke, beer?"

"Yeah, I'll take a beer." A moment later, she handed him the brown bottleneck and pulled him into the living room.

"Movies are in the cabinet." she pointed to the brown wooden nook in the corner of the window clad room. She started pulling down the shades to block out some of the sun, and to let the red walls once again control the color. He grabbed one of the slender cases and put the silver disc in the player before sitting beside Peyton on the brown plush sofa, wrapping an arm around her and allowing her to lean into his side as the opening began.

"I have to say I was a little surprised to find this in your collection." he said as Jack Nicholson's name appeared on the screen.

"You always said it was your favorite, and you made references to it like crazy." she smiled at him.

"What can I say. Redrum. It's genius." he said pulling her shoulders in closer as she rested her head on his buff shirt clad chest.

She paused remembering how many times she had watched this dvd after he left. She watched it when she felt the need to be close to him, when a day had been particularly rough. "Are we every going to talk about this?" she said suddenly straightening, raising from his grasp.

He knew what she was referring to. They hadn't exactly talked about much, mostly they had just enjoyed being with each other. "I didn't want to bring it up until you were ready."

"Are we back together? I mean, what does all of this mean?"

"I want us to be us again. I want a future with you, Peyton." he said as his eyes pleaded with her own. That was probably the most honest statement he had ever made in his life, it was straight and to the point, but everything he wasn't telling her would make it the most false statement he had ever made as well. He couldn't very well tell her that he didn't know what kind of future he had, or if anyone had a future for that matter. Saving the world from an apocalypse and talking to angels doesn't exactly scream, 'marry me, we'll get the white picket fence and have babies.'

"I want that too." she said taking his hands in her own as the television still played in the background.

"I can't be here in Tree Hill. Not full-time anyway. Sam and I travel in our work. But I can promise to come home, if you let me call Tree Hill home, every chance I get."

"You still won't tell me what you do?"

"Peyton, I love you, and I know it's hard, but it's better if you don't know, but that's a leap of faith I can hope you'll take in me." he said rubbing her hand in his own. God, if Sam could see him now. He didn't act this way, he wasn't emotional or honest. Hell, he was barely honest with Sam, his own brother, about his feelings, but this was Peyton. He didn't want to lose her again.

"As much as I hate having to share you with a job I know nothing about, I've hated my life without you in it even more. I guess I'll just have to take the leap and trust that we can make this work. So I guess the next question is how long do I have before you have to go back on the road?" she held her breath, hoping he would say more than a day. She released it when he replied with "A week, at least." She knew she was taking him back with so much ease that when everyone finally learned of their story, they would worry and make her question it, but Dean and being with him made her feel like she was getting what she wanted. Not even her relationship with Lucas had given her the peace she felt in this moment. The noise from the movie brought her attention back to her original thought, and she felt the urge to share this with him. "You know, when I would have bad days at work, or when I'd miss you so much that it physically hurt, I would put this dvd in and curl up with your favorite pillow. I'd pretend I was snuggled up in your arms and that you were protecting me from the world." She fell back into his arms once more. "The real thing is so much better."

"I would have to agree. Dreams don't hold a candle to having you in my arms." he admitted having dreamt of her in their time apart. Never once had the dream allowed him to feel complete and never once had the dream offered up her scent, the aroma that eased the pain and anger of his life in mere seconds.

"Do you think you're up for meeting any more friends today?. If you are, there's this thing going on at Tric tonight." she questioned, patiently awaiting an answer as he drank the beer in his other hand.

"They're important to you, of course, I want to meet them." Plus there was the one little fact that two of her exes would probably be there, including the one who was obviously upset driving the Mustang the night before.

"Good. We'll bring Sam too. I'm really glad he was able to find someone he knew in this town, especially since you're planning to call it home." she eased into conversation, reminding him of his previous promises.

"Yeah, I guess we're even since I never knew he dated this Bevin chick." They had been surprised upon exiting the motel room the day after finding each other again to find Sam and Bevin eating breakfast at the diner next door. Apparently Bevin had been in Sam's class, and they were both applying to law schools when Sam checked out of college. She was a friend, even after their breakup, and when Sam fell in love with Jessica.

"Well, I still can't believe that Bevin went to law school, but I think she and Sam may have something. I saw the spark."

"I love you, you know that."

"I love you too, Dean. I never stopped." She said as she reached up and pulled his face closer to her own, letting their lips meld together.


End file.
